INTERVIEWS

Dr. Ifeyinwa Stitt, MD, Board Certified OBGYN discusses the first ever genetic assessment tool for ALL women to better understand their risk for breast cancer, regardless of ancestry. She talks about the differences from other current risk assessment options; and how it can help black, hispanic and asian women with a higher risk for breast cancer have the power to choose how to manage their risk of breast cancer. 

Ginna Laport, VP and Global Head of Lymphoma at Genentech discusses types of blood cancers, the historic treatment challenges, and new research and treatment options that are changing the way people fight cancer. Recent studies show new innovative treatments that fight cancer without chemotherapy are effective and safe and could help a wide range of patients in need. She also talks about the impact COVID-19 has had on patient regimens. 

Dr. R. Preston Mason, MBA, PhD, Faculty, Harvard Medical School Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, discusses the very latest research and clinical news updates on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Peter Rhode, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Clinical Operations at HCW Biologics, a company specializing in immunotherapies for age-related diseases discusses their research in “inflammaging”, a field of drug research that develops treatments that address the relationship between the subtle but chronic low-grade inflammation characteristics of advancing age and a host of age-related disorders such as cancer, coronary artery disease, diabetes, fibrotic diseases and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. They are expecting to begin a Phase 1 trial for pancreatic cancer as a “stepping stone” towards developing treatment for these other diseases. 

Dr. Scarlett Gomez, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF; Co-Leader, Cancer Control Program, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center discusses the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry analysis in which she was an investigator that reinforced the role of Exact Sciences’ Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score ® Test in helping guide treatment decisions in men with localized prostate cancer. This data was presented at the 2021 American Urological Association’s Annual Meeting. 

Robert (Bob) Crutchfield, CEO of TeleHealth Solution discusses the current state of telehealth, primary care becoming a new model of healthcare delivery and the home based care movement. 

A prevalent, chronic circulatory condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD) can lead to serious outcomes that may often go underdiagnosed and undertreated. PAD is the leading cause of amputations worldwide and Dr. Geoffrey Barnes, cardiologist, vascular medicine specialist and faculty member at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center discusses the importance of early identification, intervention, and management of PAD. 

Victoria Ventura, wife and mother of four, shares her diagnosis and treatment journey with a serious and often underdiagnosed condition of coronary microvascular dysfunction or CMD. CMD is a type of non-obstructive coronary artery disease that causes decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. She talks about the importance of advocating for yourself as a patient and why people should explore participation in a clinical trial.

Dr. Doreen Ezeife, MD, FRCPC, Staff Medical Oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta discusses new data presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) that highlighted the value of using the Guardant360 ® Liquid Biopsy Blood Test to evaluate a patient’s advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to help guide treatment decisions and reduce cost compared to tissue biopsy alone. The majority of the savings are derived from a patient receiving a targeted therapy that is designed to address their particular cancer rather than undergoing costly chemotherapy and immunotherapies that might not help them.

Dr. April Batcheller, Co-Founder of CCRM Fertility Minneapolis and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School discusses the launch of Fertility House Calls (FHC) virtual platform, which her clinic is participating in, which offers a simple way for those struggling on the path to parenthood to take the next step and visit FertilityHouseCalls.com – a virtual platform allowing patients to search, select and request an appointment with established clinics in their area. This program initially launched in select cities around the country in November 2020 and is now available nationwide.